Apparatus for making concrete piles



23 19 Aug 27 M. M. uPsoN APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE PILES Filed Oct, ll. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E INVENTUR Filed Oct. l1. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JN VEA/TOR A TTORNE YS BY I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAXWELL MAYHEW UPSON, F ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING CONCRETE PILES.

Application led October 11, 1924. Serial No. 743,166.

The invention which forms the subject of the present application relates tomaking concrete piles of the type which is whol y or partly molded in situ, and its chief object is to provide simple and effective means vb which a circumferentially corrugated shel or mold of sheet metal may be sunk into the ground to the desired depth without the necessity of protecting the outside of the shell durin the sinking operation. For this purpose tIie corrugated shell is fitted on a correspondingly corrugated core, which taires the driving impact or pressure and by its engagement with the corrugations on the inside of the shell draws the shell down into the ground without permitting the shell as a whole to stretchI under the pull and thereby flatten out the corrugations. It is thus possible to utilize' the well known resistance of circumferential corrugations to high pressures exerted in a radially inward direction, and at the Same time use thin metal Without the necessity of enclosing the shell in an outer pipe (during sinking) to prevent its being subjected to longitudinal stretching stresses. I am therefore able to eliminate in practically all cases the costly wire reinforcement heretofore used to strengthen pile shells against the pressure of the earth, and at the saine time I can make the shell itself of thinner stock. The net result is an important saving of material, in some cases as much as iift per cent, with the production of a pile w ich is in no way inferior and which is in some respects superior to piles made by prior methods.

In practice the shell which I employ may be composed of sections arranged end to end and suitably connected or it may be in a single length, according to the length of the pile. The corrugations are preferably helical, in the forni of one or more Screw-threads, thereby permitting successive sections to be firmly joined by screwing one into the other, the end of one section being slightl i belled or expanded to receive the other sectlon, or the end of the latter being slightly reduced to enter the end of the other. This method of f 'joining the sections is particularly advantageous, as it locks the sections and makes the shell in effect a unitary tension member, enabling it to resist the powerful longitudinal stresses exerted b .upheaval of the ground, which might ot erwise pull the sections apart and rupture the concrete before the latter has set. Or both methods may be resorted to; or the belled end of one or the reduced end of the other, or both, may be uncorrugated to provide a simple form of joint which is more or less of the bell-andspigot type. For some purposes the shell is of uniform diameter or roughly cylindrical throughout, or part or all of it may taper downwardly, and the bottom may be closed by a driving point or boot or may be provided with a driving ring. The core or mandrel with which the shell is combined for driving purposes, and which is provided with outer corru ations to enga e the inner corrugations of t e shell, is pre erably noncollapsible and is unscrewed to free it from the corrugations of the sliell. This type is especially suitable for a tapered shell, since a few turns suice to clear the corrugations and leave the core free for withdrawal by hoisting. The core may also be made in longitudinal sections.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing a tapered shell and core sunk in the ground.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the driving head of the core shown in Fig. l, containing the mechanism for rotating the core to unscrew the same.

Fig. 3 is a detail View of the upper portion of Fig. 1, showing the core lifte part way out 'of the shell after being disengaged by unscrewing.

Fig. 4 is a detail cross section showing one of the fins with which the shell may be provided to prevent rotation as the core is unscrewed,

Fig. 5 is a. side view of a jointed shell, partly in section, showing a modified form of corrugation.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating an untapered core composed of longitudinally separable sections which are screwed together and into successive sections of the shell.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View of the corrugated core and shell illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the preferred relation between the ribs on the core and the grooves in the shell,

lll() leaving a clearance at the top of the ribs to facilitate unscrewing the core from the shell.

The tapered shell 71 is composed of short lengths or sections corrugated circumferentially in screw-thread fashion. If necessary the upper end of each lower section 1s belled or enlarged enough to permit the lower end of the section next above to be screwed into it, as shown. This gives a taper joint which is ver strong and which in some cases can be ma e sufficiently watertight without the use of fibrous or other packing. On the bottom of the lower-most section is a driving boot 46, screwed into place.

A tubular driving core 72 is employed, having screw-threaded corrugations to screw into the correspondingly corrugated shell. The core is rotatably mounted in the head T3, and can be rotated by a worm 74 meshing with a worm gear 75. To revent rotation of' the head 73 it is provi ed with ears 76 providing grooves adapted to align with similar grooves 77 in the hammer-base 78 and embrace the leaders or leader-extensions (not shown) of the pile driver. By reason of the taper a few turns of the core are enough to engage the corrugations of the :shell after the two have been assembled, and,

similarly, a few turns are enough to free it from the shell-corrugations, after which it can be lifted out, as in Fig. 3, by the cables 79. The hollow core is preferably provided with numerous small openings, as 8()` through its wall, and with a suitable nipple 81 for connection with a source of air, water, or other Huid under pressure, which, escaping through the openings, will tend to press the shell outwardly and thereby diminsh the friction on the core, making the unscrewing operation easier. In some cases the frictional resistance ma be so great as to rotate the shell along wit the core, especially in wet or very soft soil. To prevent such u result the shell may be provided with lateral ears or wings, as 82 (see also Fig. 4), riveted or otherwise fastened in place on the shell.

It will be u..derstood that after the core is removed plastic concrete is deposited in the shell, with or without reinforcement, to form the pile.

The shell may be of metal of any suitable thickness. say from 20 to 24 auge, and may be made in the manner descrd in my Patent No. 1,491,832, hereinbefore mentioned.

The corrugations may be of the wave type. as in the {igures so far referred to, preferably about a uarter or tive-sixteenths of an inch deep, and an inch or an inch and a quarter apart from crest to crest. In some cases a form of corrngation such as shown in Fig. 5 will be found advantageous. In this figure the lower face 122 is more nearly horizontal, on both the core 123 and the shell 124, thus diminishing the wedging effect of the core and correspondingly reducing the possibility of splitting the shell in driving in hard ground.

In the sectional core of simple construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the core sections 112 have bell-and-spigot joints which may be of the tapered-thread type, as at 113, the pitch of the threads in this joint being the same as the pitch of the corrugations of the shell. The core itself is non-collapsible and is screwed into and out of the shell, section by section. For this purpose each section is provided with inner lugs 111, to be engaged with a suitable wrench or Spanner, not shown.

The hollow core 112, shown in Figs. 6 and being open at the bottom, it will be found to be hlled with a core of earth when the sinking is completed, which must be removed before the shell can be filled with concrete. This removal can be effected, preferably before the driving core is unscrewed, by blowing the earth out by means of an air-Jet (not `shown herein), as illustrated in mylatent No. 1,491,832, above referred to.

The driving point used on a hollow core which is open at the lower end, as in Fig. 6 for example, may be in the form of a short tube 111 of relatively thin metal. lVhen resistance is encountered, in the form of bedrock or other impenetratable material., as the driving proceeds, the ring will crush down, and by its cushioning effect ive warning of the rock in time to prevent s at tering or other damage to the costly core. If the surface of the roclt encountered is sloping, the ring will crush down on one side first, thus fitting itself to the surface of the rock and sealing the bottom of the shell against. rapid inrush of water.

Fig. 8 illustrates a relation between the core-corrugations or ribs and the grooves of the shell which can be employed to advanta e with any type of core, tapered or cylin rical, whether made in one piece or in sections. As indicated, the spacing of the corrugations (from crest to crest) is the same in both core and shell, but in the former the corrugations or ribs are slightly narrower so that when the core is driven spaces will be left between the upper surfaces of its corrugations or ribs and the inner surfaces of the corrugati'ons or grooves in the shell, as indicated at 115, for example. The natural compression of the ground in driving tends to lock the shell against the core. In attempting to screw the core out of the shell this friction may be so great as either to disrupt the unscrewing mechanism or to turn the whole shell around in the earth, bringing the Shell up with the core. IVith the clearances 115 provided. the core can he lifted a suflieient distance to relieve the pressure of the shell, thereby permitting the core to be easily unscrewed.

llll

The corrugations are preferably of the screw-thread form, and I also prefer the multiple type, that is, tWo or more threads running parallel to each other, as this type facilitates assembly of the sections together and on the core. Generally speaking, two threads are enough, but more may sometimes be used without making 'the pitch too steep.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the speeilic constructions herein illustrated and described but can be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit as defined by the appended claims.

I claiml. Means for forming piles or the like including in combination a shell member and a rod like iool iueinber adapted to be embraced by the shell \ineinber, said members having their main bodies spaced from each other, one of said members being provided with a spiral groove and the other member having :i single screw thread engaging said; groove and forming the only contact between the tivo members, and means for simultaneously forcing the members into soil or the like without rotating either member.

9. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ. comprising a sheet-metal shell corrugated eireumferentially in screw-thread fashion, a driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the saine pitch en aging the corrugations of the shell, the ri s on the core being narrower than the grooves in the shell to provide a clearance permitting the core to be lifted in the shell after driving to relieve the pressure of the latter, and means for rotating the core inside of the shell for removal of the core after the two have been driven.

3. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a tapered sheet-metal shell corrugated circumferentially in screwthread fashion, a tapered driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the same pitch engaging the corrugations of the shell. the ribs on the core being narrower than the grooves in the shell to provide a clearance perinittin the core to be lifted in the shell after driving to relieve the pressure of the latter, and means for rotating the core inside of the shell to free the core corru ations and permit the core to be lifted out othe shell after driving.

4. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ. comprising a sheet-metal shell corrugated cirruinerentiallyv in screw-thread fashion. a driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the saine pitch engaging the eurrugations and provided with means for dischargingr a lluid under pressure upon the inner surface ol' the shell to facilitate rotation of the core. the ribs on the core being narrower than the grooves in the shell to providea clearance permitting thecore to be lifted in the shell after driving to relieve the pressure of the latter, and means for rotating the core for removal thereof from the shell.

5. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a sheet-metal shell corrugated circumferentially in screw-thread fashion, a driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the same pitch engaging the eorrugations and provided with means for discharging a fluid under pressure upon the inner surface of the shell to facilitate rotation of the core` and means for rotating the core for removal thereof from the shell.

6. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a sheet-metal shell having screw-thread corrugations, a driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the same pitch engaging the corrugations of the shell, a driving head arranged at the top of the core and connected with the core to permit rotation of the latter relative to the head, and means housed in the head for rotating the core.

7. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a sheet-metal shell having screw-thread corrugations, a hollow driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the same pitch engaging the corrugations of the shell and having openings in its Wall for the discharge of fluid upon the `inner sur` face of the shell, a driving head arranged at the top of the core, and means for rotating the core inside of the shell for removal of the core after driving.

8. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a tapered sheet-metal shell having screw-thread corrugations, a tapered driving core having screw-thread corrugations of the same pitch engaging the corrugations of the shell, the ribs on the core being narrower than the grooves in the shell to provide a clearance permitting the core to be lifted in the shell after driving to relieve the pressure of the latter, a drivingr head mounted on top of the core and adapted to permit rotation of the core relative to the head, and means housed in the head for rotating the core to free it from the shell.

9. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a sheet-metal shell having screw-thread corrugations and provided on its outside with means for engaging the soil in Which the shell is sunk to resist rotation of the shell, a driving core having screw-thread corrugations fitting the corrugations of the shell and having means for the discharge of fluid under pressure upon the inner surface of the shell to facilitate rotation of the core inside of the shell, and means for rotating the core for removal thereof after driving.

10. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ, comprising a. sheet-metal shell hav-' ing screw-thread corrugations and having the soll in means on its outside for engaging which it issunk to resist rotation of the shell, a driving core having screw-thread corrugatons of the same pitch engaging the corrugations of the shell, and means for rotating the core inside of the shell for removal therefrom.

11. Apparatus for forming concrete piles in situ` comprising any internally screwthreaded shell, a driving core having external screw threads of the same pitch as the for driving said screw threads in the shell, there bein clearance between the said two sets o screw threads when the shell and core are in a redeterrnined relative axial position, means core and shell vertically downward, and means for raising said core with respect to said shell to render said clearance e'ective and subsequently unscrewing said core from said shell.

In testimony whereof I hereto atiix my signature.

MAXWELL MAYHEW UPsoN.

screw threads in the shell, there bein clearance between the said two sets o screw threads when the shell and core are in a predetermined relative axial position, means for driving said core and shell vertically downward, and means for raisingr said core with respect to said shell to render said clearance effective and `subsequently unscrewing said core from said shell.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

MAXVELL MAYHEXV UPSUN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. l, 640. 101.

Granted Auguat 23, 1927, to

MAXWELL MAYHEW UPsoN.

It ia hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 123, claim 9, strike out the word "fitting" and insert "of 'the same pitch engaging"; and that the said Lettera Patent should be raad with thia correction therein that the came may conform to the record of the caae in the Patent Office. i

Signed and aealed thia 4th day of October, A. D. 1927.

in. J. Moore,` Acting Conminioner of Patente.

CERTIFICATE 0F CURRECTION.

Patent No. 1,640,101. Granted August 23, 1927, to

MAXWELL MAYHEW UPSON.

lt ia hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 123, claim 9, strike out the word "fitting" and insert "of the same pitch engaging"; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 4th day ef October, A. D. 1927.

iu. J. Moore,

Seal. Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

